New York Mets: not obtaining Starling Marte a blessing in disguise

Not making a deal is sometimes the best decision. Why it was the right choice for the New York Mets NOT to trade for Starling Marte.

The addition of a notable player should never be disregarded or snuffed at, yet the argument can convincingly be made that Starling Marte becoming an Arizona Diamondback is a fortuitous occurrence for the New York Mets.

Adding Marte is certainly not the issue in this case, as he would have been a great addition to a Mets roster that has lacked a natural center fielder since the departure of Carlos Beltran. Brandon Nimmo and Micheal Conforto will likely share time with former-Astro Jake Marisnick in light of recent events.

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Marte was dealt for two prospects and $250, 000 in international bonus money, which seems like a fair deal. Reports of the Mets discussions with the Pittsburgh Pirates detailed an awfully disparate type of deal.

The Pirates were seeking New York Mets prospects in the upper rung of the farm system, which makes sense when considering that their system is significantly weaker in comparison to that of the Diamondbacks. However, the Pirates were said to be seeking major league talent, as well, specifically in the form of Brandon Nimmo.

The potential departure of Nimmo would detract more from the team than the acquisition of Marte could make up for. Nimmo’s unflappable presence at the plate is an irreplaceable quality, as in spite of his flaws, he routinely is able to contribute by reaching base at an unprecedented rate.

He is not yet a mature hitter, thus he is prone to cold streak and by virtue of his approach he is susceptible to a few strikeouts. Still, the positives vastly outweigh the negatives in this regard.

Marte, on the other hand, has decidedly regressed in the field over the last two seasons and only shown an incremental peak in his output at the plate in 2019. At 31 years old, he perhaps may be slightly losing some of his speed, damaging to any center fielder.

Beyond that, the former Pirate only has two years of control remaining and he is at the stage of his career that begins to extend beyond his prime years. Marte also has an injury history and it can be difficult for a club to gamble prospects on an asset whose health is far from guaranteed.

In comparison, Nimmo has an extra season of control and continues to develop as a batter. Despite a rather severe, nagging neck injury in 2019, Nimmo has remained relatively healthy and thus more reliable.

A further dimension in this discussion that must be delved into is the prominence each and every Mets prospect holds for the team. Arizona has been able to amass an arsenal of impressive prospects, spanning all levels of their system.

The Mets have entered into a self-induced perpetual state of mediocrity, as any promising prospects have been dealt away in a fit of negligence. Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn being the two brightest examples. Therefore, they have placed themselves in a situation, where dealing any prospects can have years of ramifications.

The deal was excellent for the Diamondbacks, as they will not even feel a slight impact of loss and gained an important player for the next two seasons. The New York Mets must always be graded on a curve, as an illogical move nearly always precedes the next transaction.

This is no exception, as they were placed in the unfortunate situation, where a prospect could not be surrendered and the players on the roster were too vital to move.